What are the new rules?
As the winter ends, many of Spain’s most popular tourist destinations have been introducing tighter regulations for tourists, which could affect some of the nearly three million or so Irish who are expected to visit the country this year. Barcelona’s have been among the most stringent, and include a ban on pub crawls in the historic Eixample district in an effort to counter the prevalence of boozy late-night behaviour. The city’s socialist mayor Jaume Collboni has also announced plans to reduce the number of stops for tourist coaches in the city and, in the longer term, to ban Airbnb-type flats from the city centre by 2028. The Balearic Islands are also clamping down, with the local government expected to announce a raft of measures soon, including raising the existing tourism sustainability tax. Meanwhile, the Canary Islands are limiting access to areas of natural beauty while their local government considers further measures.
Why are they doing this?
It’s a response to a fierce anti-tourism backlash in Spain. Last summer, local people staged protests across the country including the Canary Islands, the Balearics, Alicante, Seville, Málaga and Barcelona, where some demonstrators sprayed foreign visitors with water pistols. In all of these places, residents are unhappy at the sheer numbers of people visiting, blaming them for traffic jams, crowded streets and parks, and a proliferation of souvenir stalls and generic coffee shops and restaurants. But their biggest grievance is the impact tourism is having on housing, as short-term tourist accommodation sends rental prices spiralling. Millions of Spaniards are struggling to find affordable accommodation and tourism is seen as a main culprit.
How important is tourism for Spain?
Tourism represents around 13 per cent of the country’s GDP, and other sectors also benefit. The industry’s strong recovery from Covid is a big reason why the Spanish economy is outgrowing most of its European neighbours, and foreign visitor numbers – 94 million in 2024, with Ireland the biggest source of visitors per capita – have already surpassed pre-pandemic records. The left-wing coalition government has expressed both satisfaction at the numbers and concern at the problems caused. The opposition Popular Party has staunchly taken the side of the industry, warning against “tourism-phobia” and saying: “Tourism is not a problem, it’s an opportunity”.
What can we expect in the coming months?
Politicians are almost certain to keep launching measures aimed at keeping tourism under control. And look out for deals struck between the industry and local authorities similar to one just signed by Airbnb and Ibiza’s island council, under which the two will co-operate in clamping down on unregulated short-term holiday rental accommodation. But it will take a lot to satisfy local residents in the tourist hotspots, so once the warm weather arrives, expect more protests – and water pistols.
